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Join a project-based working group!

In 2022, the Illinois P-20 Council sunset its 5 standing committees and transitioned to a new process for undertaking its work. To ensure that the Council is nimbly able to address the ever-evolving challenges facing the education sector, P-20 will now operate short-term project-based working groups. These working groups are created with specific deliverables in mind and will dissolve upon their completion. This new structure is intended to:

  • Promote equity of voice on the P-20 Council.
    •  In a newly formed committee, preexisting power and conversational dynamics are less of a factor in shaping the conversation than would be the case in a longstanding committee. Because the working groups are temporary, there are more opportunities for leadership
  • Allow P-20 to explore issues that might not have fit into previous committee structure
    • This also brings together individuals who might have self-segregated into other committees based on their expertise (ie data folks were more likely to be found in the Data, Assessment and Accountability committee than any other)
  •  Enable the P-20 Council to respond quickly to emerging issues
  • Avoid “mission creep” by establishing clear targets and deliverables 

Previous project-based working group topics:

Stregthening the K-12 Teacher Pipeline

Cochaired by: Jane Russell (Illinois Federation of Teachers), Dr. Tron Young (Illinois Principal's Association, Joseph Arthur Middle School), and Dr. Jennifer Kirmes (Illinois State Board of Education)

The recommendations of this committee resulted in the passage of the Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot program legislation in 2023. 

Scaling P-12 Computer Science

Cochaired by: Pia Dandiya (Apple), Charity Freeman (University of Illinois), and Dr. Erica Thieman (Illinois State Board of Education). With support from Jessie Ervin (Illinois State Board of Education)

The work of this committee is continuingunder the purview of Illinois' Expanding Computer Education Pathways Alliance state team.

Launching Fall 2024 P20 Medicaid Project-Based Working Group

What needs to change about state infrastructure to increase Medicaid reimbursements for school based services?

Join the working group to help school districts provide more critical mental and behavioral healtchare resources. 

 

To join the working group, please email Mackenzie.Eisen@illinois.gov 

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